Triple valve for air-brakes.



No. 630,379. Patented Aug. 8, I899.

W. B. MANN.

TRIPLE VALVE FOR AIB BRAKES.

7 (Application filed Oct. 19, 1898.) (No Model.)

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Patent ed Aug. 8, I899.

w. B. MANN. TRIPLE VALVE FOB AIR BRAKES (Application 9M Oct. 10, was.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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WILLIAM B. MANN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

TRIPLE VALVE FOR AIR-BRAKES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'latent No. 630,379, dated August8, 1899.

Application filed October 19, 1898. Serial No. 694,001. (No model.)

vented a new and useful Improvement in.

Triple Valves for Air-Brakes, which invention is fully setforth in thefollowing specification. i

My invention relates to triple valves for controlling the operation ofair-brakes on railway-trains, and more particularly to that class oftriple valves known as quick action valves, wherein provision is madefor gradu-. ated application of the brakes in service stops and aquicker and more powerful application I to operate properly at acritical moment.

of the brakes in an emergency.

In the system now generally in use the triple valve is controlled in itsmovements by a piston exposed on one side to train-pipe pressure and onthe other side to pressure in the auxiliary reservoir. By a slightreduction of train-pipe pressure said piston is caused to make a partialtraverse of the length of its cylinder, thereby shifting the triplevalve so as to permit a moderate air-pressure to enter thebrake-cylinder for a service stop, and by a considerable reduction oftrain-pipe pressure said piston is caused to traverse the'full length ofits cylinder and thereby shift the triple valve into position to permita'powerful air-pressure to suddenly enter the brakecylinder and applythe brakes with great force for an emergency stop. The necessaryreduction in train-pipe pressure for a service stop is secured bypermitting a small amount of air to escape from the train-pipe at theengineers valve; but to secure the necessary promptness of action in allthe triple valves.

of a long train for an emergency stop ithas been found necessary to ventthe train-pipe at a number of points along the train and preferablyunder each car. In some cases the air thus vented from the train-pipe inmaking an emergency stop is conducted to the brakecylinder, and it is tothe class of triple valves thus operating that my invention particularlyrelates. Heretofore in structures which vented the train-pipe to thebrake-cylinder for an emergency application of the brakes dependence hasbeen placed in springs to operate with the valve controlling thevent-port or to operate or assist in operating the triple valve itself.This is objectionable for the reason that the tension of such springshas to be adjusted according to the air-pressure normally carried in thetrain-pipe, and if for any reason such pressure is alteredas, forexample, when the air-pump fails to operate effective1y-the tension ofthe springs is not such as to comply with the changed conditions. Afurther objection to most of the triple valves operating to vent thetrain-pipe to the brakecylinder is that they. require agreatly-increased number of parts over the old form of triple valve,thus multiplying the chances of getting out of order and consequentfailure The objects of my invention are to provide a triple valve whichshall not only perform all the functions of an ordinary triple valve incontrolling the flow of air to the auxiliary reservoir and from thelatter to the brakecylinder in service and emergency stops, but whichshall also control the ports between the train-pipe and thebrake-cylinder, and which shall in all its movements depend entirelyupon air-pressure in the train-pipe and auxiliary reservoir without theinterposition of any spring or springs;

A fu'rther'object of the invention is to simplify the construction ofsuch valves, and thereby reduce their liability to get out of order.

With these objects in view the invention consists of a valve-casinghaving the usual ports leading to the train-pipe, the auxiliaryreservoir,'and the brak e-cylinder,within which casing is placed aslide-valve controlling ports between the auxiliary reservoir and thebrake-cylinder, the train-pipe,and the brakecylinder and between thebrake-cylinder and the, atmosphere, said slide-valve being actuated byapiston whose movements are due to and are entirely controlledby'air-pressure either in the train-pipe or the auxiliary reservoir. v

The invention may assume various forms, one of which I have illustratedin the drawings forming part of this specification, in which--. I V V.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, parts being shown in elevation,of my improved triple valve, showing the parts in release po sition. Fi2 is a plan of the bottom of the cylinder is exhausted to the atmospherepassageof airtl rough said ports I), b, d, and

valve-casing, showing the ports leading therefrom. Fig. 3 is aviewsimilar to Fig. 1, With the parts in position for makinga graduated orservice application of the brakes; and Fig. 4 is a similar view with thepartsin position for making an emergency application thereof.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the views, in which n A is thevalve-casing. 1

B is the passage leading to the train-pipe; C, the passage to -he auxi iy serv ir; D,

that to the brake-cylinder, and E a passage to the atmosphere.

In the valve-chamber F are four ports vi z., 1), leading to thetrain-pipe passage B; Z7, to a passage B; d, to the brake-cylinderpassage D, and e to the exhaust-passage E.

Within the valve-chamberF is a single valve G, arranged to move over andcontrol the e, said'valve G being actuated by a piston 'I-I,

' moving in a cylinder I, forming an end extension of the chamber F,which piston has a piston-rod-h, having lost-motion connection with thevalve G. Attached to said piston His a graduating-valve g, controlling aport 9, connecting a duct g in the valve G with the valve-chamber F.Besides the duct 9 there are two other ducts g and 9 formed in.

thevalve G. One of these ducts g is of a proper length to connecttheport d with the port 6 when the parts are in release position, a's-shownin Fig. 1, and the other. duct g4 is of a proper length to connect theports!) I) when the parts are in emergency position.

(Shown inFig. at.) It will be observed that the duct-g has nocommunication with the valve-chamber F, and hence none with theauxiliary reservoir, except through port g,

and that both of the ducts g and g are at all times entirely shut offfrom the auxiliaryv reservoir. It will also be noted that when the ports(1 and e are connected by duct g ports b b are both closed by the faceof the valve G, (see Fig. 1,) and thatwhen the port d isconnected to theduct 9 ports I), b, and e are closed-that is, are cut off from eachother'a s shown in Fig. 3. When the parts take the position shown inFig. 4, however, the duct g connects ports I) b, and the port cl'isopened to permit the passage of air from the lauxiliaryreservoirr to thebrake-cylinder.

The passage B is connected to the passage D through a port D, controlledby a springpressed check-valve d, 'openin g from the passageB toward orinto the passage D.

' The operation is as follows: When it is desired to charge theauxiliary reservoir, air

is'admitted at the engineers valve into the train-pipe and passesthrough passage 13 into cylinder 1, forcing piston H into the positionshown in Fig. 1, thereby uncovering 'feed-in port f,through which theair passes into the valve chamber F and thence to the auxiliary.reservoir by way of passage 0. The brakethrough passage D, port 05, ductg port 6, and passage E, and passage 13 is likewise exhausted because ofits connection with passage D through port D, the valve d readilyyielding to light pressure to allow any pres- "sure in B to escape to D.As heretofore remarked, ports 17 b are closed by the valve G, ,and thereis therefore no communication between passages B and B. The parts willtherefore remain stationary in the position shown in Fig. 1-,the aircontinuing to pass from the train-pipe to the auxiliary reservoirthrough feed-in port f' until equilibrium of pressure is established inthe two. As long ZI-I will not move, the parts being held-againstaccidental displacement by thelight spring n,havin g bearing'on thevalve Gand the valve- ;casing F, as shown. When. it is desired tomoderately apply the brakes, either forchecki the train on downgrades orfor making an ordinary service stop, the engineer. re-

two pounds by allowing a proper. amount of ;air to escape at theengineers valve, where- =upon the preponderanceof pressure on the thiscauses the piston to-shift fromthe position shown in Fig. 1. to. thatshown in Fig. 2- ;that is, to traverse a part only of the length Eofitscylinder. In so. doing it increases the 'ervoir air and decreases thespace occupied iby train-pipe air,- and this is sufficient to es-;tablish an equilibrium ofpressure on the two sidesof the pistonandbring it to rest-Jin the ':position shown in Fig. 3.. This movement of pg by withdrawing graduating-valve g, which, owing to the lost motionbetween the piston H and valve G, has a slight motion relative to saidvalve G, and, second, to shift valve G so as to cause duct g? toregister with port (I, thereby permitting air. to pass through therestricted port g, duct 9 and port .01 to the brake-cylinder. Thisescape of air from the auxiliary reservoir effects a small reduction ofpressure therein and-causes the piston to move slightly to the right ofthe position shown in Fig. 3, thereby closing thegraduating-valve 9 overtheport g, but; not'moving the main valve G. This prevents the furtheregress of air from the auxiliaryreservoir to i the brake-cylinder, butdoes not connect the exhaust-passage .E .with the brake-cylinder. If theengineer desires to further slightly increasethe pressure in theybrake-cylinder, he again reduces thetrain-pipe pressure very. slightly,causing the piston to again take the I position shown in Fig. 3 andreopen the graduating-valve g, which will operate as before. Thisoperation may be repeated until the desired pressure is secured in thebrake-cylinder.

Should an occasion arise for making an Eas this equilibriumis maintainedthe. piston.

duces the pressure in the train-pipe one or.

lpiston H is on the auxiliary-reservoir side, andv i'area of thespaceoccupied by auxiliary-rcsthe piston H has served, first, to uncover portemergency application of the brakes, the engineer opens his valve, so asto cause a sudden reduction of ten or twelve pounds in the train-pipepressure, thus destroying the equilibrium of pressure on the oppositesides of the piston H, the pressure on the auxiliaryreservoir sideexceeding that on the train-pipe side by ten ortwelve pounds per squareinch. This causes the piston H to suddenly traverse the full length ofits cylinder I from the po'- sition shown in Fig. 1 or that of Fig. 3 tothe position shown in Fig. 4, wherein the exhaust-passage E is closed,the port d is uncovered, thus opening communication between theauxiliary reservoir and the brakecylinder, and the duct g connects portsI) and 12, thereby connecting the train-pipe passage B with thebrake-cylinder passage D through the passage B. The ports I) b are muchlarger than port d, as will be seen by inspecting Fig. 2, and the airfrom the train-pipe therefore rushes through said ports on the Way tothe brake-cylinder much more rapidly than the auxiliary-reservoir airpasses through the port d, thereby securing the rapid reduction intrain-pipe pressure under each car, on which reduction the quick'serialaction of all the triple valves in a long train depends. By thuspermitting the train-pipe air to reach the brake-cylinder in advance ofany considerable pressure due to auxiliary-reservoir air the maximumamount of pressure from the train-pipe is secured and the time requiredfor the serial action of all the triple valves is reduced to theminimum. It will of course be understood that when the pressure in thebrake cylinder reaches a degree tending to cause back pressure from thebrake-cylinder passage D through passage B to the trainpipe thecheck-valve d promptly closes and retains the air in the brake-cylinder.This is of peculiar importance when the train breaks in two and solereliance must be had on the auxiliary reservoir air for applying thebrakes. When the brakes are applied either for service or emergencystops, they are released bya restoration of train-pipe pressure, whichcauses the parts to assume the position illustrated in Fig. 1.

It will thus be seen that with only two valves-the main valve G and thegraduatingvalve gI secure all the functions of the ordinary triplevalve, and in addition thereto I control with thesame main valve G thepassage of train-pipe air from the train-pipe to the brake-cylinder, andthat both the main and the graduating valves are controlled in all theirmovements by the operating-piston H, which in turn is controlled solelyby airpressures in the train-pipe and the auxiliary reservoir. It willalso be noted that the extreme simplicity of the device greatly reducesthe liability to get out of order and makes it cheap to manufacture.

While the specific construction herein illustrated and described is thebest with which I am familiar, it will be understood that the sameinventive idea may find various mechanical expressions, and my claimsare not intended to be limited to the particular form herein shown, butare designed to include such other forms as may fairly fall within theirterms.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is v 1. The combinationof a train-pipe, auxiliary reservoir, brake-cylinder and a by-passage incommunication with the brake-cylinder, with'a triple-valve chamberincommunication with the auxiliaryreservoir, said chamber having portsopening to the brakecylinder, to the atmosphere, to the by-passage andto the train-pipe, a valve having two independent ducts therein one ofwhich communicates solely with the brake-cylinder port and theexhaust-port and the other communicating solely with the train-pipe andbypassage ports, and a piston operatively connected to but having motionindependent of said valve, and a graduating-valve controlled by saidpiston.

2. The combination of the train-pipe, auxiliary reservoir,brake-cylinder and by-passage in communication with the brake-cylinder,with a valve-chamber having separate ports opening to the train-pipe,the by-passage, the atmosphere and the brake-cylinder, a valve having aduct communicating only with the train-pipe and the by-passage ports, asecond duct communicating only with the atmosphere and thebrake-cylinder ports and a third duct communicating solely with theauxiliary reservoir and the brake-cylinder and a graduating-valvecontrolling said third duct, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the train-pipe, auxiliary reservoir,brake-cylinder and by-passage in communication with the brake-cylinder,with a valve-chamber having separate ports opening to the train-pipe,the by-passage, the atmosphere and the brake-cylinder, a valve having aduct communicating only with the train-pipe and the by-passage ports, asecond duct communicating only with the atmosphere and thebrake-cylinder ports and a third duct communicating solely with theauxiliary reservoir and the brake-cylinder, a piston operativelyconnected with said valve and controlled solely by fluid-pressure andmeans operated by said piston and controlling said third duct,substantially as described.

4. The combination of the train-pipe, auxiliary reservoir, by-passageand brake-cylinder communicating with said passage, with a valve-chamberhaving separate ports opening to the train-pipe, the by-passage, theatmosphere and the brake-cylinder, avalve having three independentducts, one communicating solely with the train-pipe and by-passage Iritestimeny whereof I have signed this specification ijn thepresenee oftwo subscribing witnesses.

' WILLIAM 13-. MANN. Witnesses:

REEYE LEWIS, PHILIP MAURO.

